1. Field of Invention
This invention is a method and system that generally relates to decorative and educational displays; specifically, to modular genealogical or family tree displays having frames for photographs or other-likeness of family members.
2. Related Art
Many people compile genealogical information to record and understand their roots. Parents often teach children this information to help them understand their family identity. Children know living family members by their relationships. It takes time for young children and others to develop a clear mental picture of the relationships of many relatives. Education is one reason, so many devices, aids, and methods have been invented for recording, teaching and displaying information to understand genealogy or family relationships, as well as, knowing their roots and having a sense of belonging.
Genealogical Charts show and identify ancestors or descendants by name and other data in a structure that shows their family relationships. Such charts are useful for research and record keeping. Examples are U.S. Pat. No. 1,297,663 to Davis, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,483,680 to Daly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,501,559 to Griswald et al., and common pedigree charts.
Plaques having printed or engraved names are useful for displaying genealogical or family tree information, as seen in U.S. Pat. No. Des. 265,643 to Smith and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 427,938 to Berg, a Family Tree Name Plaque. Some multiple photograph picture frames have a family tree theme. U.S. Pat. No. 4,794,716 to George et al. a school bus Display Mount Device; viewed photographs of a child taken sequentially through the years. Sometimes this theme is expressed in the name only, such as “Family Tree Picture Holder,” U.S. Pat. No. Des. 285,751 to Timarac. Sometimes it is expressed by the presence of an ornamental tree, such as in “Picture Frame,” U.S. Pat. No. Des. 270,882 to Wilson. Neither of these shows the relationships of the family members.
Some related genealogy displays are family tree games. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,375,288, Des. 276,055 and Des. 273,312, all to Guertin, are directed to a game that teaches genealogical research methods while players place likenesses of persons on an ornamental tree. Some games are intended to familiarize children with older members of their families. U.S. Pat. No. 3,970,313 to Montemayor, an Ancestry Educational Game Apparatus.
Some genealogical displays are modular. In U.S. Pat. No. 705,833 to Gee, record elements bearing names are loosely linked to create a Genealogical Chain Record. U.S. Pat. No. 4,650,422 to Gorezynski shows a family tree doll set in which dolls representing various generations of a family occupy tree swings or tree houses in a tree. U.S. Pat. No. 4,865,548 to Snyder teaches a three-dimensional display capable of showing or representing lateral family relationships such as aunts, uncles, and cousins using markers bearing names. French Pat. No. 1,195,038 shows a modular construction in which vertical members represent the males of a family and oblique members represent the females. Gee and the French patent suggest that pictures can accompany the modular elements. A “Heritage Tree” having modular apple-shaped picture frames was advertised as the “Perfect for the family tree.” Also, U.S. Pat. No. 5,246,374 to Alma Boodram, A kit, a three-dimensional display structure, and method for displaying photos of related individuals and couples in a family Tree, the “Expandable Family Tree and Modular Kit for Building the Same” and U.S. Pat. No. 6,524,108 to Murray, another Three dimensional family tree. U.S. Pat. No. 6,554,490 to Avila is a Picture Plant Assembly for providing an ornamental and attractive method for displaying photograhs and U.S. DES. 667,227 to Altieri is a Multi-Generation Family Tree Quilt Appique.
U.S. Pat Application of Wong et. al, A Method and System Constructing Dynamic and Interactive Family Trees based upon an Online Social Network. Users access web site of an online social network and interactively contribute information to the family tree. U.S. Pat. Application to Peters, “Electronic Family Tree Generator and Display System;” an interactive electronic picture organization and display system stores pictures.
Then there are computer programs that creates a method and system for making a product like U.S. Pat. No. 5,842,218 to Robinson, “A method computer program product and system for a reorienting categorization table;” Also U.S. Pat. No. 7,957,907 to Sorenson et. al is another example of a computer Method for Molecular Genealogical Research; which is a genetic genealogical research and record keeping system and method for identifying family ties between siblings, patents and children ancestors and progeny across many generations. U.S. Pat. No. 8,224,862 to Sacks; a System and Method Providing a Networked Viral Family Tree; a computer implemented method of dealing with profile email relationships to generate a family tree. U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,095,567 and 8,768,970 are directed to Providing Alternatives within a Family Tree Systems and Methods; a method of creating a family tree requests. U.S. Pat. No. 8,719,304 to Golze: A Systems, Methods, and Graphical Tools for Representing Connectedness of Individuals, connecting relationships between individuals by nodes and strands. Last but not least is U.S. Pat. No. 8,769,438 to Mangum et. al who invented Methods and System for Displaying Pedigree Charts on a touch device. It is an air fan turbine positioned close to the exhaust fan system of an air handier system
As seen from the genealogical inventions above there is considerable interest in providing ways of recording, teaching, displaying genealogical information to preserve and strengthen family bonds, as well as providing systems and methods using computer software. However, whatever the decisive advantages or attributes of the mentioned genealogical and family tree displays, none of them achieves or fulfills the purposes of the present invention as defined by the following objectives, disclosure, and claims.